Last posting dates for Christmas 2026
Every courier stops taking Christmas parcels on a different day. Here they are in one place. We update this page as each courier confirms its 2026 dates.
Last updated: 2 October 2026
Christmas 2026 last posting dates, UK
| Courier | Service | Last date for Christmas 2026 | 2025 date, for reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail | 2nd Class | To be confirmed | Wednesday 17 December |
| Royal Mail | 1st Class | To be confirmed | Saturday 20 December |
| Royal Mail | Tracked 48 | To be confirmed | Friday 19 December |
| Royal Mail | Tracked 24 | To be confirmed | Sunday 21 December |
| Royal Mail | Special Delivery Guaranteed | To be confirmed | Tuesday 23 December |
| Parcelforce | express48 | To be confirmed | Friday 19 December |
| Parcelforce | express24 | To be confirmed | Monday 22 December |
| Evri | Standard, drop off by 11am | To be confirmed | Friday 19 December |
| Evri | Next Day, drop off by 11am | To be confirmed | Saturday 20 December |
| Evri | Last courier collection | To be confirmed | Friday 19 December |
| DPD | Next Day | To be confirmed | Not shown |
| UPS | UPS Standard | To be confirmed | Not shown |
| DHL | DHL Express UK | To be confirmed | Not shown |
2025 dates are shown so you can plan. The 2026 dates may differ. Sources: Royal Mail and Evri.
Christmas 2026 posting dates, international
International parcels need more time, and the cut-off depends on the country. Couriers publish these by destination.
| Courier | Where to find the dates | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail | Country delivery aims | To be confirmed |
| Parcelforce | International express services | To be confirmed |
| DHL | DHL Express, by region | To be confirmed |
| FedEx | International express, by region | To be confirmed |
| UPS | International, by region | To be confirmed |
| Asendia | International ecommerce | To be confirmed |
Rule of thumb: for Europe, send in the first half of December. For the USA, Australia and the rest of the world, send by the end of November.
How to beat the Christmas cut-off
A few simple habits keep your parcels under the tree in time, even when December gets busy.
- Post early. Last posting dates are for the last day, not the best day.
- Pay for speed near the end. Next day and guaranteed services have the latest cut-offs.
- Drop off at a ParcelShop or locker. The queues are usually shorter than at a Post Office counter in December.
- Watch for earlier cut-off times. In 2025, Evri moved its Next Day drop-off cut-off to 11am for the whole festive season.
- Book a collection if you are sending several parcels.
- Keep the tracking number. It is the fastest way to chase a late parcel.
Missed the date?
You still have options. Guaranteed next-day services such as Royal Mail Special Delivery and DPD Next Day often run later than the standard cut-offs. Compare what is still available on your route.
Track your Christmas parcels
Booked with us? Follow every parcel from one place.
Christmas posting questions
The dates people ask about most. We update the answers as couriers confirm their 2026 cut-offs.